The French strategic bombing ended in the evening. The original twenty-four-hour bombing lasted only twelve hours before reaching Gong Cheng's goal, that is fear.

It was almost the same for a whole daytime bombing that was not differentiated during the day. More than 10,000 houses in Naha were destroyed, and no less than 50,000 casualties were killed or injured.

King Shangtai stood at the entrance of the deep valley. Looking around, the valley was filled with fleeing people. Women and children were crying, adults were sighing, the wounded were wailing, and those who lost their relatives were in pain. Everyone's faces were filled with deep fear.

Many military medical nurses in white coats were walking back and forth in the crowd. Many of them were so tired that they were already shaking but still insisted. The families of the injured looked at them like they were looking at gods.

More soldiers in military uniforms are distributed rations, some are taking care of the wounded, and some are cleaning up the bodies. It is now the heat of the deceased, and all the dead must be buried in time. It would be a terrible situation if there is a plague.

Whenever a corpse was carried out of the crowd, relatives and friends would burst into tears like wolf howls. Whenever King Shangtai heard such miserable crying, his heart would be broken.

"Your Majesty, please drink a little water..." Jin Changsen came over with a broken porcelain bowl. Before His Majesty could take it, he lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty, I just watched it on the hillside. The French did not shoot a shot at Shuri Castle on that day. The palace is still safe. Now it is almost dark. Your Majesty, go back..."

King Shangtai shook his head, "The people are bleeding. Do I want to enjoy happiness in the palace? I have no ability to kill the enemy when the country is in danger. Can't I still suffer with the people?"

After saying that, King Shangtai took the clear water from Jin Changsen's hand, turned around and handed it to a wounded man beside him.

"Your Majesty..." The wounded and the people around him subconsciously kowtowed, but unexpectedly, King Shangtai held them down, "No, don't move, don't move, don't move... It's because I am incompetent and cannot protect this country. It's my fault."

"Wuwuwu..." The crowd cried bitterly, "Your Majesty, don't say that. Ryukyu hasn't heard of an emperor who endured hardships with the people for hundreds of years, and a king who has survived wars with his people for thousands of years... You are the Holy Lord."

King Shangtai smiled bitterly, and regardless of the dirty ground, he sat down, "Don't kneel down, I am a saint, I am a saint, seeing the people bleeding, I can't do anything, I am a saint."

Wang, who shook his head and sighed, said in a lonely way, "I have already thought about it. If our country of Ryukyu continues to last this time, if we can survive this disaster safely... I decided to join the army and I will also go to the military academy. I will start with a big-headed soldier, and I will never be a cowardly emperor again..."

"No." Jin Changsen and the civil servants around him knelt down. They looked at King Shangtai in horror. They heard clearly that King Shangtai was just talking about me, not me.

Oh my God, what did King Shangtai think? He actually wanted to join the army and be a big soldier. Is he going to abandon civil and military affairs? Is he going to abandon us Confucian ministers?

It has to be said that since the Song Dynasty, the problem of different paths of civil and military affairs has been left in the hearts of Confucian children, and these civil officials in the vassal states who were deeply influenced by Confucian culture have also become infected with such problems.

It's great if the emperor wants to join the army. Since ancient times, the tradition of East Asia is to control martial arts with literature. Wouldn't King Shangtai do this to destroy the sky? It's great if the military officials are in charge of the family. Although Xiao Letian leads troops, he is also given the title of prime minister. Even this group of old ministers has said many little things behind it.

"Wuwuwu... Your Majesty, the son of a thousand gold cannot sit in the hall. You are the hope of a country in Ryukyu. If you are in danger of the war, this country will be destroyed." Countless people snatched their heads and slammed the ground with their heads and blood flowed.

King Shangtai was not angry or retreating. He smiled faintly and helped all the Confucian ministers who kowtowed. "Don't say that, the saint has long said that the people are the most important and the king is the least. Am I strictly abiding by the saint's words?"

"What is the foundation of Ryukyu's founding? It's not whether I, King Shangtai, is there or not whether Shuri City collapses. It depends on whether the people have a sense of identity with this country. As long as the people have Ryukyu in their hearts, even if the country is broken, the mountains and rivers are still there, and the people's hearts are still there, we can still restore the country..."

"This is what the Prime Minister calls for the country and nation. I used to be just aware of it, but today I understand it completely..."

Just when these Confucian ministers were still trying to persuade him, a loud voice suddenly came from outside the valley, "Your Majesty is right. What is the different path of civil and military affairs? They are all the remarks of corrupt scholars in the past that harmed the country and the people. They are all great men standing between heaven and earth. Why not be civil and military talents? What's the use of having to make a difference? If the country is destroyed, everyone is a slave."

Everyone looked up and saw that it was General Liang Kun who was talking, and the general was already injured at this time. His forehead was bandaged with white cloth. Two soldiers were lying on the stretcher, with a bullet piercing wound on his left leg.

"General, you are injured." King Shangtai and his ministers rushed over.

"Shame, I have not completed the task... I encountered the French artillery bombardment on Beishan Road, but Guotou Village still did not take it down..." Liang Kun lowered his head regretfully.

How could King Shangtai blame the Ryukyu army for being the right-hand man, and quickly went over to support him. "General, don't be upset. This is not a crime of war. The French are strong in ships and cannons and profits, and it is indeed difficult to resist... But don't worry, general, as long as we are united, I firmly believe that this Ryukyu can be defended."

It seemed as if Liang Kun had met the young man in front of him for the first time. He couldn't help but raise his thumbs up in his heart, thinking that King Shangtai really let the Prime Minister come out for **, and what he said and done today was impressive.

To be honest, today the French bombardment has not collapsed, and more than half of his contributions have been made.

Night had already fallen, and the stars began to blink above people's heads. When the last ray of sunset in the West disappeared at sea level, the French bombing finally ended.

When the sound of cannons stopped and when the peace returned to people, all the survivors were still a little uncomfortable. It took more than half an hour before people thought of today's supper.

King Shangtai, General Liang Kun and civil officials sat on the big bluestone to chat. The bonfire in the shelter valley lit up. In a short while, the fragrance of cooking porridge began to spread, and people's emotions finally improved.

Just as supper was about to be cooked, a messy sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the valley, and then the jumping torch light rushed into the valley.

"It's General Cai Mao... General came out of the fort!" A large number of soldiers surrounded him.

Cai Mao was so tired that he could not speak at this time. He didn't know if it was smoke or the fire was irritated these two days. His voice was extremely hoarse and his face was ashen.

"Your Majesty... and General Liang, Secretary Jin, Secretary Lin... Let's talk..." Cai Mao raised his hand, and a group of soldiers ran over and surrounded a warning circle in a remote place, including several powerful factions in the Ryukyu Kingdom.

"Your Majesty, I'm just talking about it. Just now, a Chinese man who claimed to be an envoy was received from the beach at the foot of Qixing Mountain. He held the white flag and said he wanted to negotiate with us..."

"Well, the French are going to negotiate with us." Lin Yuanmiao asked differently, and Liang Kun shook his head on the spot. "It's impossible. The French have suffered casualties in the past four days. At least thousands of casualties. How could they negotiate? Even if the negotiation conditions are very harsh."

Liang Kun was born in the Heavenly Kingdom Army and did not trust foreigners naturally. It is normal to have such extreme views, but Cai Mao, Jin Changsen, Lin Yuanmiao and others were born and raised in Ryukyu after all. Now, when they heard that the French were going to negotiate, they were a little worried.

King Shangtai frowned and said, "Since the messenger has arrived, we have no reason to see each other. If we succeed, we have to listen to their conditions... General Cai, have you not touched the background of this Chinese messenger?"

King Shangtai’s question made Cai Mao sigh, "Your Majesty, I am puzzled now, but I am puzzled here... This envoy said his boss is..." Cai Mao hesitated for a moment and finally came up with a name.

"Gong Cheng...Gong Banlun."

"Ah, it's him." Everyone present was stunned. They might not know who Gong Cheng was before, but in Xiao Letian's small class over the past year, they have often used this guy as a negative teaching material.

"The one who brought the British and French forces to burn the Old Summer Palace was the one who bickered with Prince Gong, saying that his father had not become a Hanlin, so he took revenge. The one who went to the Four and Half of the Five Reunions and only half of the Reunions was the one who was free and easy in the Shanghai Concession with the commission from the British."

"It's what Prime Minister Xiao said, life has no bottom line and is worse than beasts."

Look at me, I see, you don’t say anything. If it’s Gong Cheng and Gong Banlun who came to negotiate, the negotiation will be difficult. On the one hand, although this person is corrupt, he is definitely an old man with a very high IQ, and it will definitely be difficult to deal with.

On the other hand, Xiao Letian showed his disgust for this traitor more than once. If everyone had not passed the Prime Minister's nod and had a talk with such a person alone, how could he meet the Prime Minister in the future?

Liang Kun was so angry that he sat up, "No, absolutely not. This is the enemy of the Chinese people all over the world. Don't stand in front of me. As long as you dare to show up, I will kill him with one knife..."

When Jin Changsen saw that Liang Kun was excited about the gauze oozing on his forehead, he quickly supported him and persuaded him, "Stop the anger, General, please calm down. Gong Cheng didn't come ashore, just his subordinate who sent a message. Let's just listen. It's definitely not a negotiation. Please relax and recover from your injuries..."
Chapter completed!